Google Slides: Viewing Speaker Notes in a Presentation

If you are using Google Slides for your presentations you may be wondering how you can view your speaker notes during the presentation.

S key

Use the keyboard shortcut Control Enter on a PC or Command Enter on a Mac to enter presentation mode. You can also click on the “Present” button in the upper right hand corner of the Google Slides window.

While in presentation mode hit the S key to open up the speaker notes. This opens a small window that the presenter can use while presenting. This shows what was typed into the speaker notes section of Google Slides. It also displays a count up timer.

The presentation can be controlled from the speaker notes window. The speaker notes window displays a thumbnail of the slide being presented. Below this are 2 smaller thumbnails of the previous slide or animation and the next slide or animation. Use your mouse to click on the “Next” thumbnail to advance the slides for the audience.

Extended Desktop

You will not want to be mirroring your displays if the speaker notes are visible. Use extended desktop settings on your computer so that your presentation is viewable on the projector but the speaker notes are viewable on the computer you are presenting from.

Mobile Device

One of the advantages to using Google Slides is that your slides are available on any device that can access the internet. While you are presenting from your computer you can pull up your slides presentation on your phone or tablet and view the speaker notes there as well.